Lubricated dust guard



H. H. GRECE LUBRICATED DUST GUARD June 28, 1938.

2- Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 19, 1957 di l 4,

,of 2:.' es

June 28, 1938. H. H. GRECE LUBRICATED DUST GUARD Filed Feb. 19, i957 2 sheets-sheet '2 UNITED y STATES PATENT OFFICE LUBRIC'ATED DUST GUARD Harry H. Grece, Detroit, Mich.

Application February 19, 1937, Serial No. 126,574

This invention relates to dust guards and in particular to lubricant carrying dust guards adapted to be positioned in the dust guard pocket of a railroad car journal box and seal the opening 5 between the hub seat of a car axle journaled therein and the said journal 4 Claims.

box.

The main object of this invention is to provide an improved lubricant carrying dust guard for sealing the opening between a railroad car journal box and a car axle journaled therein which will have an extremely long life under the most severe service conditions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dust guard having an expansible casing by means of which it is readily and ixedly positioned in the dust guard pocket of a railroad car journal box.

Another object of this invention is to provide,

in combination with a journal box having a dust guard pocket and a car axle journaled therein, a dust guard comprising an expansible casing adapted to engage the walls of said dust guard whereby to maintain itself properly positioned therein, and lubricant carrying wear resisting means within said expansible casing adapted to grip said car axle and seal the opening between said car axle and said journal box.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lubricant carrying wear resisting dust guard which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to apply, and which will give extremely long and efficient service.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a lubricant carrying dust guard which is easily positioned in the dust guard pocket of a journal box and which may be readily removed for re-lubrication when lubricant carried thereby becomes expended.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the acbodying the invention positioned in the dust guard pocket thereof and around the hub seat of a car axle.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on the line3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged exploded sectional View similar to Fig. 3 showing moved from the dust guard nal box,

the dust guard repocket of the jour- Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed sectional view similar to Fig. 5 showing means by which the dust guard is preferably positioned in or removed from the dust guard pocket of a journal box.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the preferred embodiment of the invention shown therein comprises, in general, a dust guard IIJ xedly positioned in the dust guard pocket Il of the journal box I2 into which the car axle I3 having a hub seat I4 is journaled by means of the bearing I5 secured in the top of the said journal box I2 by a suitable wedge I6.

'I'he dust guard ||l comprises a casing composed of rectangular plates 9 and 20 each having a continuous lip integral therewith and formed normal thereto extending completely therearound; the casing plate I 9 being formed so as to telescope within the casing plate 20. The casing plate I9 is provided with an aperture |90 therethrough slightly smaller than the axle aperture normally provided through the rear wall I1 of the journal box I2 as indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 2. The casing plate 2U is likewise provided with an aperture 200 therethrough slightly smaller than the axle aperture normally provided through the partition wall I8 of the journal box I2 as indicated by the full line 200 in Fig. 2. The edges of the casing plates I9 and 20 around said apertures |90 and 200 respectively are preferably turned outward from said casings as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and specifically designated by the numerals 2| and 22 respectively.

The outside of each of the said casing plates I9 and 20 is covered with a very hard felt, canvas or other suitable fabric 23 and 24 respectively, which covering is permanently secured thereto by shellacking or riveting or both. If rivets are used the rivet heads on the inside of the casing plates 18 and 20 should have a feather -edged periphery and the rivet heads on the outside of said fabric should be drawn so tightly toward the said casing plates as to effect a virtual countersink in respect to the outside surface of the said fabric.

The surface of the rear wall I1 and the partition wall I8 of the journal box I2 facing the dust guard pocket should not be finished but left in its rough state after casting with only the extremely large burrs which would interfere with the correct positioning of a dust guard in the dust guard pocket II chipped off.

A leaf spring 25 as best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 is preferably secured by the rivets 26 to the continuous lip of the casing plate I9 near each corner thereof. The said leaf spring 25 is so shaped and disposed as to react against the casing plate when the said casing plate I9 is telescoped within the casing plate 2|] and urge the said casing to expand `at all times. The continuous lip formed around the said casing plate I9 is provided with crimps 2'I near each corner thereof to accommodate the heads of the rivets 26 to prevent the said rivet heads from interfering with the free telescoping of the casing plates I9 and 20 in respect to` each other.

The casing of the dust guard III is inserted into the dust guard pocket II of a journal box I2 with the casing plates I 9 and 29 in telescopic relationship to each other. The action of the leaf springs expands the casing of the dust guard II] in frictional contact with the dust guard pocket walls I'I and I8. The covering 23 and 24 of the casing plates I9 and 20 is urged by the said expansion yof the dust guard casing tightly and under considerable pressure against the rough surface of the dust guard pocket, walls II and I8 respectively and seal the joint between the casing plates I9 and 20 and the dust guard pocket walls I I and rI8. Because of the covered casing plates I9 and ZIJ being urged tightly against the rough walls I'I vand I8 of the said dust guard pocket II, the said dust guard I9 maintains itself in the dust guard pocket I I in the position in which it is positioned until it is compressed and removed therefrom.

In the event the fabric covering 23 and 24 of the casing plates I9 and 20 respectively becomes flattened to such thinness or becomes torn or loosened in any manner so as to prevent the same from serving as a friction surface for holding the dust guard II) in its proper position when the said dust guard III is expanded withinl the dust guard pocket II, the outwardly turned edges 2| and 22 of the said casing plates I9 and 20 respectively will engage the dust guard pocket walls I'I and I8 adjacent the axle apertures `therethrough and prevent the said dust guard from vibrating or being jarred out of its proper position in respect to the said axle apertures provided through the said walls I'I and I8 of the journal box I2. v

A wooden wedge 28 or other suitable means may be used to seal the top of the `dust guard pocket II after the dust guard I0 is properly positioned therein.

Upper and lower sealing means or assemblies 29 and 30 are slidably positioned between the casing plates I9 and 20 as best shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The upper sealing assembly 29 comprises an arcuate shaped wear resisting plate 3| for contacting the hub seat I3 of the car axle I4 when the said assembly is urged thereagainst, and lubricant carrying pads 33 and 35 secured on each side of the said wear resisting plate 3|. The lower sealing assembly 30 comprises an arcuate shaped wear resisting plate 32 for contacting the hub seat I3 of the car axle I 4 when the said assembly is urged thereagainst, and lubricant carrying pads 34 and 36 secured on each side of the said wear resisting plate 32.'

The said lubricant carrying pads 33 and 35, and 34 and 36, are substantially yrectangular in shape except for the sides thereof that are arcuately cut out to correspond to the Wear leSSIJng plates 3| and 32 respectively, and except that the corners of the pads 35 and 36 are notched as best indicated in Figs. 2 and 5 to prevent the same from fouling the casing expanding springs 25.

The upper lubricant carrying pad 33 and the lower lubricant pad 36 are provided with tabs 336 and 360 respectively at the sides thereof extending in lapped relation adjacent each other as best shown in Fig. 5 for sealing the opening at the sides of the said hub seat I3 of the car axle I4 between the sealing assemblies 29 and 3 when said assemblies are positioned against the said hub seat I3 of the car axle I4. Stitching 31 points the ends of the said tabs 339 and 36 as indicated in Fig. 5 to` permit the said tabs to slide in relation to each other without fraying or binding. The said tabs 33 and 36|! are of lsuch a ylength in respect to the opposed pads 34 and 35 respectively as to leave spaces 38 and 39 therebetween to permit the said upper and lower sealing means 29 and 30 to wear and slide within the casing plates I9 and 29 toward each other without the ends of the said tabs 339 and 360 fouling the said opposed pads 34 and 35 respectively.

The wear resisting plate 3| is provided with two laterally spaced upwardly extending contact lugs 3H) coextensive with the lubricant carrying pads 33 and 35 of the upper sealing assembly 29. The wear resisting plate 32 is provided with two laterally spaced downwardly extending contact lugs 320 coextensive with the lubricant carrying pads 34 and 36 of the lower sealing assembly 39.

The upper and lower horizontally disposed lips of the rectangular casing plate I9 are provided with suitable inwardly disposed bow springs secured thereto and adapted to contact the upper and lower sealing assemblies 29 and 30 and constantly urge the same in sealed relationship against the hub seat I4 of the car axle I3, the lugs 3| Il and 320 of the wear resisting means 3| and 32 respectively receiving the spring pressure directly from the bow springs 40 whereby to cause the said arcuate wear resisting plates 3| and 32 to contact the said hub seat I4 of the car axle I3 and eliminate compression on and buckling of the lubricant carrying pads 33, 34, 35 and 36.

Thin metal strips 4I along each side of the dust guard I0 and between the said dust guard I0 and the walls II and I8 of the dust guard pocket I I as indicated in Fig. 6 may be used to compress the expansible casing thereof while positioning the said dust guard I0 in or removing the same from the said dust guard pocket II. The said metal strips 4I preferably extend out of the top of the dust guard pocket II and may be suitably hooked as at 4|0 to provide means whereby they may be readily removed from the said dust guard pocket II.

Before placing a dust guard embodying the invention in a journal box, the entire dust guard is soaked in a suitable lubricant which is absorbed by the lubricant carrying pads 33, 34, 35 and 36. The said lubricant carrying pads 33, 34, 35 and 36 are preferably of felt or wicking or a combination of felt and wicking in layers or woven capable of retaining lubricant for long periods of. time and feeding the said lubricant gradually to the surface f the sealing assemblies in contact with the hub seat I4 of the car axle I3 as well as providing an ein'cient seal therearo'und. 'I'he said lubricant carrying pads lubricate the wear resisting plates 3| and 32 in contact with the said hub seat I4 of the car axle I3 and lubricate the inside surfaces of the casing plates I9 and 20 against which the sealing assemblies 29 and 30 constantly slide as the car axle I4 moves in respect to the journal box I2. The wear resisting plates 3| and 32 are preferably of babbit or some other material harmless to the surface of the hub seat I4 of the car axle I3 against which the same are constantly urged under the pressure of the bow springs 40.

It is readily observed that this invention provides a novel, inexpensive wear resisting lubricant carrying dust guard, easy to positionin the dust guard pocket of a journal box, readily removed therefrom when bearings are changed, and which is capable of having the wearing parts thereof replaced and renewed at little expense and with unskilled labor. By removing the sealing assemblies 29 and 30, the dust guard will give years of service under most severe conditions. The sealing assemblies 29 and 30 will outlast a number of sets of bearings I5 if properly lubricated when the said bearings are changed.

Although but one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be understood that various changes including the size, shape, arrangement and detail of the various parts thereofl may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention other than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In combination with a journal box having a dust guard pocket at the rear thereof and a car axle journaled in said journal box, a dust guard comprising an expansible casing adapted to engage the walls of the said dust guard pocket in sealed relationship thereto and maintain itself fixedly positioned therein, a pair of wear resisting sealing assemblies composed of lubricant carrying sealing means reinforced with Wear resisting means slidably positioned Within said expansible casing adapted to engage the said car axle in sealed relationship therearound with the wear resisting means thereof in contact with said car axle, and spring means within said casing adapted to constantly urge said sealing assemblies in sealed relationship against said car axle.

2. In combination with a journal box having a dust guard pocket at the rear thereof. and a car axle journaled in said journal box, a dust guard comprising an expansible casing adapted to engage the walls of the said dust guard pocket in sealed relationship thereto and maintain itself xedly positioned therein, a pair of sealing assemblies slidably positioned in said expansible casing shaped to contact the said car axle and seal the opening between the said car axle and the said expansible casing, each sealing assembly comprising a central wear resisting plate and a lubricant carrying pad secured to each side thereof, and spring means secured to and within said expansible casing adapted to contact said wear resisting means whereby to urge said sealing Aassemblies into sealed relationship against said car axle.

3. In combination with a journal box having a dust guard pocket at the rear thereof and a car axle journaled in said journal box, a dust guard comprising an expansible casing adapted to engage the Walls of the said dust guard pocket in sealed relationship thereto and maintain itself flxedly positioned therein, a pair of sealing assemblies slidably positioned in said expansible casing shaped to contact the said car axle and seal the opening between the said car axle and the said expansible casing, each sealing assembly comprising a central wear resisting plate and a lubricant carrying pad secured to each side thereof, tabs extending from one lubricant carrying pad of each sealing assembly in lapped relationship to tabs extending from the opposite assembly, and spring means secured to and within said expansible casing adapted to contact said wear resisting means whereby to urge said sealing assemblies into sealed relationshipagainst said car axle.

4. In combination with a journal box having a dust guard pocket at the rear thereof and a car axle journaled in said journal box, a dust guard comprising an expansible casing adapted toy engage the walls of the said dust guard pocket in sealed relationship thereto and maintain itself xedly positioned therein, a pair of sealing assemblies slidably positioned in said expansible casing shaped to contact the said car axle and seal the opening between the said car axle and the said expansible casing, each sealing assembly composed of a lubricant carrying sealing pad and a wear resisting axle contact means therefor, and spring means within said expansible casing adapted to engage the said sealing assembly and urge the said sealing assemblies into sealed relationship against the said car axle.

HARRY H. GRECE. 

